Years ago, when a company that I worked for acquired another company I was given the responsibility of straightening out the IT software and development issues.
It was a prickly situation but I was able to forgo a lot of grief by keeping everyone in the loop and providing involved parties an email update with the latest information each Monday morning.
Communication is key and a good website can be a window of opportunity that allows a community, such as Spanish Cove, to receive the most up to date, accurate and important information. A well designed website can be a significant asset if designed with thoughtful consideration.
Spanish Cove.Org is a great website but, like me, it needs a facelift 
.
The Communications Committee is trying to determine if the existing website should be redesigned or if a new website should be built from scratch.
If you haven’t had a chance to review other property owner associations websites click on the links below:
Montclair Property Owners Association
Bella Vista Property Owners Association
Canyon Lake Property Owners Association
Redesigning or building a website from scratch requires a specific plan:
Purpose: What will be the purpose of the website, what should residents get from it and what is to be accomplished? Since designing a website is an ongoing process it’s important to consider long and short-term goals.
Should the new or redesigned website include >> a Shopping Cart (assessment collection, t-shirts… ); Activities; Calendar; Announcements ; Contact Us; Owners Corner; Photo Gallery; List of Approved Contractors; News; Owner Access [email and password required]; Mass Emailing [important notices]; Message Board; Classifieds; Resident Directory; Live Chat; Bulletin Board; Home Sales; Rentals; Job bids; Board and Committees Names and Contact Information; Amenities; History; Buy Sell Property ; Downloadable Committee Reports; Financial Statements, Covenants; Permits, Club House Reservation forms, Spanish Cove Update, New Owner Information Packets etc…..
Cost: Depending on how the website is designed some of the costs might include shared or dedicated web hosting, a Secure Socket Layer [SSL] Certificate [if dues are to be paid online], web design software such as Adobe [some web hosts provide free design software], a contracted web designer, graphics and office personnel training.
Below is Riverside Media’s questionnaire for prospective clients:
Questions To Consider When Designing a Website
[scroll down the page to see the questionnaire]
Another option might be to use an online property owners association website designer package that includes website templates and the ability to incorporate TOPS (Spanish Cove’s accounting software). See links below:
AtHomeNet TOPS Accounting Integration
All in all, we have a terrific opportunity to provide current informational services to residents and prospective owners alike.
Good luck Communications Committee!
We should be issuing a new telephone book next year. Past experience shows that the Communications Committee has been able to earn between $5,0000 and $7,500 profit from this endeavour. By planning and researching now it would seem that they could be ready to move ahead with an updating of .org early in 2010 without the spending of any assessment income.
Another very thoughtful and interesting subject well presented. Don’t you ever tired of that?
I agree with Sally, progess and improvements are good, but do not favor if it results in a cost increase.
I am all for updating the Spanish Cove website, adding enhancements, etc. I feel at this point, in this stressful economic time, we should not spend money to go to a completely new web program. We should be able to add some enhancements to what we have now and then when economic conditions improve, perhaps a whole makeover should be done. I do not know who is on the Communications Committee, but I would hope there would be several on it that are familiar with website design and maintenance. Perhaps an ad hoc committee could investigate the feasibility. There is no line item in the budget for a new website design, so I would think this expense would have to be put in the 2010-2011 budget.
What enhancements would you like to see Sally?
Well, the Update was a good start, but needs to be page by page. It’s too hard to read the way it is. I have always thought the documents should be there, including monthly financial statements and the yearly budget. For those who don’t want it for all to see, it could be on a members only page, accessed with a password. It could also carry announcements, meeting minutes, etc. I don’t think it is the proper venue for a blog, though. Although a format for asking questions and getting answers would be nice. However, keeping it up to date takes someone who is dedicated to the project. Someone at the office needs to be in charge of changing the information on a timely basis.
Well thought out and presented. Most of my career assignments were much simplified by establishing readily available channels of communication and inviting input from others. It also avoids the formation of a bevy of polarized adversarial relationships.
And Sandra just think about how much better you look than does Joan Rivers.
True Ron and, gee, thanks!